GOLF:AS THE spotlight shone largely on the game's big three, Rory McIlroy returned to a happy hunting ground and "flew under the radar" to set the first round lead with a blistering 65 at the €1.7 million Dubai Desert Classic.

All the preamble hype for the final event of a four-week swing in the desert focused on Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer and Tiger Woods, the top players on the world rankings.

Organisers added an extra dimension by placing the leading trio in the same group for the opening two rounds at the Emirates Golf Club.

Westwood and Kaymer were inside the top 10 after a pair of three under 69s, while Woods got out of jail with a sensational closing eagle for a 71 to cover the cracks of a fragile swing.

There were no such problems for McIlroy, who “felt in control” of his game en route to an eight-birdie round of 65, with the only dropped shot coming after a three-putt bogey at the 175-yard seventh – where former champion David Howell (71) recorded a hole-in-one with a six-iron.

“I got into the round gradually, but once I did I felt there was a good score out there,” said McIlroy, who won his only European Tour title at this event in 2009.

“All I’m trying to do is focus on hitting good shots, not just for the next three days, but for the next 12 months. I’d like to think I’m a better player than two years ago. I’m definitely more experienced and a more rounded and complete player,” added the 21-year-old, who also made his tour debut in this event as a 16-year-old.

“Dubai feels like a second home and when you can draw on good memories it can really help you.”

As one of the early starters who set off from the 10th, McIlroy picked up strokes at the 13th and 15th before a run of five consecutive birdies from the 17th sent him racing up the leaderboard.

Momentum stalled briefly at seven, but last years Quail Hollow winner on the PGA Tour immediately bounced back with a final birdie of the day at the eighth.

“I played really well and played smart golf, and took on the pins when I needed to,” added the world number seven, who could move up to fourth if the collects the €301,353 top cheque on Sunday.

“With all the spotlight on the big three, I was able to fly under the radar, and it’s nice to get a good round in early.”

He leads by two from Sergio Garcia and South Africa’s Thomas Aiken, who carded five-under 67s.

Garcia has shown renewed form of late – ninth in Qatar last week – and the Spaniard kept a bogey off his card as he chases a top-two finish to secure his place at the WGC-Accenture Matchplay later this month.

Woods rescued a “scratchy” 71 with the “best shot he has hit in an eternity” to set up a closing eagle. The 2006 and 2008 champions’ round included a trip to the lake at the seventh and a double-bogey six at 12, but redemption was found in his final act.

The 35-year-old fired a towering approach over water and from 254 yards out at the par five 18th and finished within six feet.

“It was pretty interesting. As much as I had to shape the tee-shot right to left I had to shape that (approach) left to right. I had to take something off it and threw it up in the air – it was perfect,” said Woods, who accepts the swing changes will take time to bed in.

“It took me a while when I was with Hank (Haney) and it took me a while when I was with Butch (Harmon). I didn’t play worth a darn for two years. I’m doing it now (with Canadian coach Sean Foley) because I know I can become better. It will be more efficient.”

The American has dropped to third in the world after almost 15 months without a win; compare that to McIlroy, who has finished fifth, sixth, fifth, fourth and second (to Kaymer in Abu Dhabi three weeks ago) in his last five outings.

In Westwood’s case, he hadn’t dropped a shot until a lapse of concentration over his pitch to the 18th when he only just carried the water and ran up a bogey six. The world number one is looking to improve on his 64th place finish in Abu Dhabi and a missed cut in Qatar last week.

Kaymer reckoned he would have had a “fantastic” round but for an unlucky break on the ninth. His approach hit the hospitality units on the right and rebounded across the green into the lake.

The same thing happened to defending champion Miguel Angel Jimenez (72) and Alvaro Quiros (73).

Darren Clarke and Michael Hoey were the only other Irish players to break par with their pair of 70s, while Damien McGrane shot 72.

Paul McGinley and Peter Lawrie shot respective rounds of 73 and 74, but Gareth Maybin was way off the pace after an opening 79.